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Wednesday, July 9, 2014

It's been exactly a month since my last post and you can't imagine how much I missed sharing with you the many events ( both personal and passion-wise ) that have been happening to me for the past couple of weeks!

Anyways now I'm finally back again with another new post and this is a follow up to my previous post, also with the same title. As you already know I have been creating pieces inspired by my beautiful homeland - SABAH and here are my latest creations which I have been crazily completing last month in the festive spirit of Kaamatan!

So without further ado, I present to you

Sabah Ethno Collection by Jeffie Jeff - Part 2 :

Kicking off this post is my design for Unduk Ngadau Papar 2014 - Debbie Colette Christopher which naturally drew influences from the Kadazan Tribe of the Papar District.

Since the original Papar costume had white ruffles, I decided to interpret that idea and turn it into the top ruffled part of the dress which reminds me of Flamenco dancers! Also since this year KDCA implemented the new ruling that all evening gown designs have to be fully inspired by their respective districts, I had to keep the overall theme to black and gold.

To further highlight the Papar District identity, I added this handmade cross-stich motif commonly known locally as 'Langkit' or 'Linangkit' to the waist section to further cinch her figure.

Basically my idea was to create a classic black dress with ethnic influences suitable for Red Carpet events and here was the outcome. Sometimes less is more and that is why I love the simplicity this dress carries because I like my designs to be wearable!

Back View of The Dress

This dress also made another appearance during the Unduk Ngadau DBKK 2014 Gala Night for another finalist.

Moving on to the next creation, I present to you

Charming Huminodun :

This next design was for Unduk Ngadau Beaufort 2014 - Christine Ferra Mojiun and was actually the last creation that I made among all designs featured in this post.

Naturally inspired by the bright yellow, red and greens of the traditional Beaufort costume, I decided to go for a more elegant approach to this evening gown by giving this design classic off shoulder sleeves.

Continuing to the next design, I give you

Runduk Tosindak :

This design was my entry for the Unduk Ngadau DBKK 2014 Gala Night and was inspired the Kadazandusun Community as a whole because I felt that since Kota Kinabalu is the state capital of Sabah, why not create a design that captured the essence of North Borneo?

So for this this creation I took influences from Kadazan, Dusun and Murut motifs and tried my best to infuse them into one look which can be seen in the details of intricate weaving, beading and traditional lace work.

Also pushing myself in terms of innovation, I tried to include tree bark material into my designs as the Murut Tribes are known for using it in the mens traditional costume. Kadazan Penampang influences can be seen through the gold braid and buttons featured at the neckline and also at the waist fabric section which was deliberately included to emulate the 'Selendang Bobohizan' or Priestess' Sash used during rituals. Sashes are also worn by women during the Sumazau Dance.

The belt piece also made another appearance at Unduk Ngadau Tenom 2014 Gala Night which was paired with another dress to create a different look.

Finally moving on to my last design,

Unduk Eleganza 2.0

Finally we have reached my last masterpiece for this post and there are actually two reasons why this design has been named Unduk Eleganza 2.0. The first is because this design has actually been upgraded/modified from an existing, previous creation and is sort of a tribute to the original design. Second reason is that I can't think of a better name for this creation! Check out the original design HERE!

Basically the original idea of this design was to showcase my innovation by using the traditional woven fabric 'Dastar' which is generally used by the Kadazan Dusun and Bajau Community as a Traditional Headgear among the men.

I then added the bottom part of this design with woven fabric to give it a more sophisticated look as opposed to the original design which was more of a casual cocktail dress. Judging by many entries this year, I noticed that actually many Sabahans have been inspired by Unduk Eleganza and in turn have created their own version of woven dresses.

I guess you can say that I'm flattered because I DID I FIRST!

Whew! I feel tired even talking about it but I'm glad to be able to share it with everyone. Looks like now I am able to pull off a complete fashion showcase now with my collection of designs! So looking forward to the day.

So we have come to the end of this post. Which dresses are your favourite? Do lemme know in the comments section below and don't forget to share!Also special Thank You to all the amazing photos from respective photographers in this post. I didn't crop out their watermark to showcase their amazing work!

Thursday, May 8, 2014

I'm finally back again with another new post. Sorry for being unable to blog as much as I want to because of my super busy schedule packed with work and events in this month of May! Oh I can't believe that I am already saying that we are in May, time just really seems to be going by faster this year!

Anyway as you would have already guessed by reading the blog title, this entry will be about my garment design collection based on Sabah's rich and diverse culture which I have been creating periodically since 2012 ( If memory serves me correctly! )

For those of you who are reading this from other parts of the world, Sabah is the name of the state in Malaysia where I live. It is also known as North Borneo. Sabah is a melting pot of many indigenous and immigrant groups with over thirty-one different ethnic races and that is a LOT of inspiration for an artist!

Since I have been getting so much requests / orders this year, I thought perhaps that I should just blog it instead so that it would be easier for the to view my work in one page. So here I am.

So without further ado, presenting the complete

Sabah Ethno Collection by Jeffie Jeff :

This design titled 'Rani Sogigisom' which means The Queen Forever was my first Sabah Ethno inspired creation which drew influences from the Kadazan Tribe of Penampang and Dusun Lotud Tribe of Tuaran.

Basically my idea was to create a classic black dress with ethnic influences suitable for Red Carpet events and here was the outcome. It comes as no surprise that this is among all, the hottest cake of the crop! And I have the photos to prove them to you.

At Priscilla Verus's Traditional Wedding Ceremony

The outfit has also been worn by Sabahan Celebrity of Akademi Fantasia fame - Queenera!

Featured in a national feature in Malaysian paper - Metro!

This dress has also reached as far as Bali, Indonesia when Malaysia representative for The Miss Scuba International pageant was held there!

The dress also made a re-appearance in the Unduk Ngadau DBKK Gala Night in 2013 worn by the gorgeous Ryannie!

And again this year for the Unduk Ngadau Tuaran 2014! Note that additions were added to the dress.

Moving on to the next creation, I present to you

Lun Exotica :

This next design was inspired by the Lundayeh Tribe of the Sipitang District. For this look I decided to go for a more demure approach by giving my evening gown sleeves and played along with more of the silver elements of the traditional Lundayeh costume as most of Sabah's traditional costumes have gold accents.

Though not as popular as the first Rani Sogigisom creation, this dress however has made several appearance on stage in other years.

2013 Unduk Ngadau Membakut representative in Lun Exotica

Closeup details of Lun Exotica. Photo credits to David Aramaitii

We now move on to the next design,

Unduk Eleganza :

For this third design I wanted to showcase my innovation by using the traditional woven fabric 'Dastar' which is generally used by the Kadazan Dusun and Bajau Community as a Traditional Headgear among the men.

My idea was to also create an evening gown which were separate pieces and could be manipulated into give several looks from casual to evening glamour depending on the styling. So basically the major components of this creation was a corseted bodice, a mini skirt and a black chiffon outer layer.

However several netizens of Facebook quite didn't favour the idea and thought that it was inspired by the Rungus Tribe of Kudat! I was a little taken aback, however I didn't mind the comments much because you can never please anyone in life and also you can't blame the ignorant for not knowing the different type of fabrics!

Anyhow despite all the drama, this dress made it to the Top 7 Best Traditional Inspired Evening Gown Category for the Unduk Ngadau Gala Night in 2013 out of over the 30 districts competing! So I guess that really does say a lot of my work versus the negative haters comments.

It's not what people say, it's what YOU DO!

Last but not least, I've saved the best for last.

The Spirit of Borneo :

Although this isn't really under the Evening Gown category, it still needs mentioning because it is after all inspired by Sabah's Ethno diversity. Besides this ensemble is the first design to have reached an international stage with a worldwide audience!

Basically I was asked to create an international costume for the representative of Borneo to the Miss Tourism Queen Asia 2013 held in China. I instantly knew that I had to create a female warrior design inspired by the Murut Tribes of the interior Sabah who are notorious for their headhunting culture and which Borneo is also known for through out.

I also injected a little Kadazan Dusun element through the embellishments and also the headgear because it is indeed an authentic yet majestic piece! Who could resist all those feathers?

I am also equally proud and happy because it has been getting positive reviews all over the country especially via the Missology and Pageant fans feedback. I can't wait to design my next International Costume!

As published on www.chinanews.com

So there you have it, my current Sabahan Ethno inspired designs in my collection. I am currently working on 6 new dresses this year so wish me luck! Will keep everyone posted soon.

Don't forget to SHARE this and leave me a comment to tell me which one is your favourite?

Monday, April 21, 2014

I am back again with another new beauty post and this time it is featuring my makeover for my personal Friend / Air Asia Stewardess / Breeze Model Finalist - Alvira Laurentina!

It seemed like only yesterday when I last met her from the BMS competition and then she became a Flight Attendant with Air Asia and the next thing you know, now she's finally found someone to settle down with! How time really flies before your eyes without realizing it.

Anyway I am both happy and honored that she had asked me to do her wedding makeup and wedding gown as well for her reception! Thank you so much for believing in my talents as well has trusting me with my service. It really means a lot to me!

So without further ado, here are her before and after photos :

Closeup of Alvira's completed Makeup & Hairdo.

This was the final outcome of Alvira's makeover and I'm glad that I'd manage to meet all her requirements without compromising my style of work. Basically she wanted a dramatic transformation makeover but I suggested to not over do the makeup and instead give more focus on the eyes and brows with a softer touch on the complexion for a more radiant look.

I began by first tackling her round eyebrows by giving it more of a defined arched shape to lift her down-turned eyes. Then I proceeded to create a baby doll eyeshadow technique to create the illusion of bigger eyes and for that added glam, I also added glitter to the lids to make her top lids more visible in photos. I then completed her eye makeup by applying my personally hand made lashes!

Next was her to tackle her blemished skin. Despite all her flaws, I absolutely LOVE her deep skintone, it just reminds me of that JLO complexion! So I blended two different shades of liquid foundation to suit her's medium deep skintone as well as to create that contoured effect. After achieving the desired coverage, I then proceeded to work on giving her that healthy bronzed glow without going overboard with the crazy illuminator which can sometimes translate into looking greasy in pictures!

I have to say that I am super satisfied because all of the photos had no flashback whatsoever! And trust me when I say that my NIKON D90 can be pretty ruthless when it comes to flash photography and as you can see in the photos I posted, her foundation just looks like skin!

I am super happy to have finally mastered the flawless and natural foundation routine for all skin tones thanks to endless trial and error. You may think that it's nothing but the last thing you want is for your bride to look grey or ashy!

To finish this look I used my Chanel Rogue Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Color in 44 La Diva as she preferred a matte finish to her lips and didn't want anything bold like Red or neutral like Peach as her dress was already nude-hued.

Now moving on to her dress!

Before her wedding, Alvira had already purchased some French Lace from Indonesia during one of her trips and wanted me to create a modern Malay Wedding Dress for her reception and this was the final masterpiece!

This practically took me a week to complete and again, I am happy with the finished product and how great it looks on her! I will probably do another separate post for this dress and I didn't have much time to take more photos of the details and more.

So stay tuned for my next post, there's so much in store for everyone! Take care and don't forget to tell me what you think?

Thursday, April 17, 2014

I am back with a new post a promised yesterday on my Instagram. If you haven't been following me yet, don't waste another second! Check out my official Instagram profile in the sidebar section or search for my ID : @jeffiejeffofficialto not miss out on my daily updates!

Anyway I posted a picture of my new babies ( makeup! ) on Instagram yesterday that I received in the mail from my Facebook friend in KL - Alice Wong and promised to do a review on them in my blog, so here I am!

These items are basically pre-loved, which I don't mind so as long that they are still considered fairly new and most important of all, AUTHENTIC!

Fake makeup products are a definite NO in my books. Besides, it is a good way to test out new makeup items/brands a much lower price before actually committing to it, therefore saving you money in the end in case you don't like it.

Just make sure you remember to sanitize! Because the last thing you want is getting bacteria & germs from the previous user and that is why you should always be careful when trying out testers at the drugstore!

Going back to the haul, I actually ordered 2 items from Alice's Pre-loved Makeup Album and she was kind enough to throw me a freebie! Thanks sis, I appreciate it a lot. So to kick start this haul, let me start first with the freebie that I got :

MARY KAY BROW GEL

Mary Kay Brow Gel ( 7.75ml) Made in the USA

Product unfortunately has specific name or color but just a code

Closeup of the Brow Gel Wand. Product is clear and has a typical mascara scent.

Honestly this is my first encounter of a Mary Kay product. I have heard of it in the past but wasn't personally moved to try it out. I will give my honest on this product alone, which does NOT entirely represent my opinion towards the entire Mary Kay Brand/ Line as I have yet to try anything else.

This product is actually a basic gel in a tube to help set thick brow hairs. It is clear and contains no color whatsoever. The gel texture is slightly sticky to help keep hairs in place and takes a while to dry and set.

The only thing that I didn't like about this product is that I feel that the wand is a little small to grab on to so application is a little challenging ( and mind you I consider my hands to be small for a guy! ) Perhaps this is a sample or travel size but they should consider making the handle longer as I am sure other consumers will have different/larger hand sizes and to use it would be even more challenging for them!

However packaging wise it looks beautiful to my tastes however I do wish that the label below the tube would at least specify that it is clear as most brow gels in the market today contain color to match the color of your hair.

Overall I would give 3/5 for this product which is pretty decent. It does the job but would have given it an extra point if the wand was more user friendly! Not a must have for me at the moment and isn't something I would restock in future I'm afraid.

MAX FACTOR FACEFINITY ALL DAY FLAWLESS 3 IN 1 FOUNDATION

Max Factor Facefinity All Day Flawless 3 in 1 Foundation (30ml) Made in Ireland

Product description at the back. 12 months shelf life after opening.

Moving on, the first product that I ordered off Alice's Album was this Max Factor Facefinity All Day Flawless 3 in 1 Foundation in the shade Pearl Beige 35. Of all the products I viewed in her album, this was the first one I instantly chose not because of what this foundation does but because of the MAX FACTOR name.

Every good and knowledgeable makeup artist should own or at least know about Max Factor because after all he was The Father of Makeup!

A visionary make-up artist, wig maker and inventor who was known for creating the signature looks of the era’s most famous icons such as Ava Gardner, Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich.

Enough history lesson for today, let's continue with the haul - So I basically chose this product because it comes from a legendary beauty house so you can be sure that you are getting a top quality product. The second reason is that I was intrigued by the 3 in 1 feature which claims to hold like a primer, correct like a concealer with the long lasting finish of a liquid foundation with SPF 20!

Sensing the amazing-ness of this product, I have decided to dedicate a separate post on this item to do it proper justice because simply describing it in this post won't be enough. Stay tuned soon for a full review on this together with swatches and comparisons!

NARS BLUSH/HIGHLIGHTER DUO

The Iconic NARS rubberized packaging

Product labeled at the back with complete product info

Duo comes with a large mirror for easy touch-ups

NARS Blush/Highlighter Duo in Orgasm and Albatross. (5g each) Made in the USA

I've saved the best for last.

This was the second item from my order and I have to say that despite it being second-hand, I am equally satisfied! The packaging alone is enough to make me a happy owner. It is perhaps the same feeling of having a Chanel Compact in your bag/purse but NARS has more of a masculine feel to it and I can see myself using this in public!

This dynamic duo of signature cheek shades deliver a healthy bronzed glow and a radiant flush of blush. Said to be one of the best blushes in the world, NARS has turned the infamous 'Orgasm' blush into every beauty/makeup addicts' iconic cosmetic item in their kit ( including myself ), which is regarded as the perfect blush for all complexions.

Again, I will be dedicating a separate post on this item to do it proper justice because I have a feeling that the 'amazing-ness' of this product will take up a lot of writing space! So be patient and do stay tuned soon for a full review on this together with swatches, comparisons and of course my honest opinion on it!

So we've come to the end of this haul. Don't forget to check out Alice's

Pre-Loved Makeup Clearance Albumon Facebook in case you're interested to try out some new makeup! She is a trusted seller and have already purchased from her several times. Plus all her items are 100% authentic so rest assured!

I do hope that you enjoy reading my post so don't forget to please

LEAVE A COMMENT below because I am dying to know what my reader think. Also feel free to re-blog, Instagram, Tweet, repost this on Facebook and share them with your friends. After all, Sharing is Caring and it would really mean a lot to me!

ABOUT ME

GREETINGS

Welcome to the Official Blog of JEFFIE JEFF! Professional & Award Winning Creative Artist based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (Malaysia). He provides Personalized Makeup & Hairdo Services for Weddings, Events, Stage & Editorials as well as Makeup Workshops, Beauty Talks & Makeup Courses for Individuals, Small Groups or Major Organizations. He is committed and dedicated to providing only The Best Customized Makeover Services using High Quality Products. To know more about his work, kindly follow this for current updates.